Chinese military forces were open to learn from their
counterparts taking part in a joint anti-terrorism exercise
sponsored by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in this
Russian city, Chinese officers said on Monday.
"Training programs are preparations for real war and we are not
conservative in such exercises," said Lu Chuangang, a senior
Chinese officer with the superintending command.
About 4,000 troops and 80 aircraft from China, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are participating in
the joint exercise, which will last until Aug. 17 in the
Chebarkulrange near Chelyabinsk.
"The performance of airborne troops from Tajikistan was very
impressive. They are as brave as tigers," Major. Li Dejiang of
theChinese army said, when the troops held their last joint
maneuver on Monday.
Senior Colonel Sun Xiuhe, however, was impressed by the Russian
command procedures. "The Russian officers are precise when making
and implementing plans and they will not change layouts in an easy
manner," he said.
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China has carried out 17
joint war games with foreign armed forces since 2002 and has
invited foreign military observers and military attaches in China
to observe their exercises, as well as carrying out exchanges of
visits by senior officers and defense consultations.
"Since a non-traditional threat has emerged in the world, more
than half of joint military exercises are focusing on such
operations as counter-terrorism, peacekeeping and humanitarian
aid," said Ouyang Wei, a professor with the PLA National Defense
University.
The joint anti-terror drill, the first of its kind involving
military forces from all SCO members, will be observed by heads of
state of the six nations on Aug. 17.
(Xinhua News Agency August 14, 2007)
